Sales floor proves the perfect fit

Hattie Zhao was a rookie in the auto industry when she joined Metrotown Mazda in Burnaby, but she has quickly become an award-winning salesperson.Photo by
Arlen Redekop, PNG

This is the 10th in a series profiling women who have risen through the ranks of the automotive industry in Metro Vancouver and beyond.

It's never easy moving to a new country. Even if you're equipped with some ideal skills - you know the language and have an impressive resume - it can still be challenging.

When 30-year old Hattie Zhao arrived to Canada three years ago from Beijing, it wasn't the smoothest transition.

"When I moved here, it was so hard to start," she admits. "I sent out my resumes. I didn't really receive any good offers. But I wanted to start to make a living."

Describing herself as "an outgoing person" she went to shopping centres and handed out resumes, store by store.

"One of my previous managers, who worked for the Body Shop, found me. She told me at the time when she looked at my resume that I'm overqualified!"

Zhao worked in the banking industry in her homeland for a bank note printing company. "I used to do sales and marketing when I was in Beijing," she said.

"I was in market development and the manager of market development so I would go to different cities to open up branches."

Her education includes a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom.

Despite feeling she was overqualified, her previous boss took a chance on her and so began Zhao's working life in Canada. But it wasn't long until things would change.

Among the various places Zhao sent her resume was Metrotown Mazda, for a clerical position/customer service representative.

The manager called and they set up an interview. In discussing the role, the dealership manager said the job entailed making phone calls to customers and that led to him asking about her background.

"I mentioned what I used to do, which was sales and marketing. I did consulting as well as account management.

"He said, 'You know what? You should try sales.' But I knew nothing about cars! I didn't know how big the engine of the car I used to drive in Beijing was."

Zhao admits she was apprehension about the offer.

She recalled how in Beijing if the sales teams she worked with didn't sell, they'd be fired.

"At the time, when I was offered the sales position I thought: 'Should I take it?' Because I'm worried that if I don't sell then I'll lose my office job," she says, adding she's not "a pushy person.

"But he didn't give me the time to think! Right after I walked out of the dealership he called me right away and said: 'You can start tomorrow.' "

So she did. And she doesn't regret the decision.

Within a few months, and without any prior knowledge of the car industry, Zhao earned a salesperson of the month title.

The team at Metrotown Mazda, she says, has been great, especially her managers, and she has worked hard at learning the vehicles and figuring out what would be best for her clients.

The first salesperson of the month title was one of six she earned in a year. Not bad for a rookie.

Her hard work - she works almost every day between being on the sales floor or coming in to meet customers for appointments on her day off - combined with her friendly and outgoing demeanour have helped earn her a top sales spot within Canada, too.

"When our general manager told me about it, I was thinking it was the Master (award). From Mazda Canada, we have different levels. The first is the Master level and the highest is the Elite level. I started at Metrotown Mazda in mid-2011, last year in 2012 was my first full year."

Her goal was to reach the Master level as a peak performer in sales, but she surpassed that. Although, at the time, she didn't know.

The biggest surprise to her? Instead of the Master award, she received the Elite award, one of only 40 people in Canada to earn that title.

"I told my parents and they're so proud of me."

She says she loves the clients she comes in contact with.

"The most satisfying thing is when customers really appreciate when I help them to find the perfect car. They never feel a big push or forced to make a decision. That's what they say."

Having already reached a top level of sales in the two years she has been on the sales floor, Zhao is excited to continue to grow with the Mazda brand and is excited about the new and innovative products set to arrive.

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